Who to start · 2025-26
Kaapo Kakko vs Macklin Celebrini
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kaapo Kakko's 1.22.
Kakko had 40 points in 65 games; Celebrini had 115 in 82 games.
This week Kakko has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Celebrini has 2 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Celebrini for 5.2 to Kakko's 2.4 over the games left.
Macklin Celebrini has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Kakko's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.048, Plus/minus +14, On-ice PDO 1055.
Celebrini's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 186, Blocked shots 53, Shots on goal 287.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Macklin Celebrini rates ahead, +13.2 to +1.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kakko is cooling, 0% of 5v5 TOI with top players (was 63%); Celebrini is surging, ixG/60 1.94 (was 1.10).
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • Celebrini has played 8 of the Sharks' 10 games since Oct 1 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 5 G, 9 A, 8 PPP, 37 SOG.
Seattle Kraken · San Jose Sharks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Kaapo Kakko
+1.0
category z-score total
Macklin Celebrini
+13.2
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Macklin Celebrini has the edge (Kakko wins 1, Celebrini wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kakko | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.20 | 0.58 |
| Assists / game | 0.49 | 0.95 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.25 | 0.06 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.11 | 0.61 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.04 | 3.89 |
| Hits / game | 0.56 | 0.64 |
Per-game rates from the selected sample; blended mixes last season with this season, weighting this season more as games are played. Categories are scored as z-scores against qualified players at the same position. Your scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Kakko vs Celebrini
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kakko 0G 1A, 9 SOG · Celebrini 1G 5A, 13 SOG
On the ice against each other (Kakko's side)
11:42 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Kakko's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–9
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.6
- 35.1%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kakko | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-20 | SEA 4–2 SJS | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-11-05 | SEA 1–6 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 2S |
| 2025-04-05 | SEA 5–1 SJS | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2025-01-30 | SEA 6–2 SJS | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-11-14 | NYR 3–2 SJS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
Faceoffs: Kakko vs Celebrini
Model: Kaapo Kakko wins 45.6% of draws against Macklin Celebrini on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Kakko at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 51% | 39% | 52% | 40% | 46% | 52% | 40% | 53% | 41% |
| Road | 50% | 38% | 51% | 39% | 45% | 51% | 39% | 52% | 40% |
They have not faced each other on a draw in the seasons we track.
Every stat, side by side
Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Oct 19 to Oct 25. More games usually wins a weekly start/sit. Chips show how many fantasy points the opponent allows to the player's position (soft or tough), the Schedule Edge from rest and travel, and the likely opposing goalie with his save percentage. Projections cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Kaapo Kakko
3games (2 left)
2.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs DETOpp allows 13th-most FP to RWLikely vs Daniil Tarasov (.895)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs MIN1.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Macklin Celebrini
4games (2 left)
5.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ TOROpp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ MTLB2B
- Thu, Oct 22 @ OTT2.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ BOS2.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Kaapo Kakko or Macklin Celebrini in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kaapo Kakko's 1.22. Kakko had 40 points in 65 games; Celebrini had 115 in 82 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
- Who is better, Kaapo Kakko or Macklin Celebrini?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Macklin Celebrini leads in 29 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kakko and Celebrini done against each other?
- In 5 games against each other in our data, Kakko's team went 4–1. Kakko had 1 points (0 goals) and Celebrini had 6 (1 goals).
2025-26 regular season from NHL play-by-play, shift charts and NHL EDGE, processed by Edgehalla. Head-to-head covers every loaded season (play-by-play from 2019-20; on-ice matchups from 2025-26).Compare other players →